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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: bigwoklun on October 18, 2007, 06:11:48 AM

Title: What does the ' in 2,'4,'6'-trihydroxybenzoic acid mean?
Post by: bigwoklun on October 18, 2007, 06:11:48 AM

Hello I am a Technical writer and this is my first post and I was wondering, as my organic chemistry experience is low, what does the ' in 2,'4,'6'....mean?

Thanks for any advice,
L.

Title: Re: What does the ' in 2,'4,'6'-trihydroxybenzoic acid mean?
Post by: AWK on October 18, 2007, 07:33:22 AM

If you cite a complete name then the correct name is:
2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid
Numbers show position of substituents at the ring starting from number 1 at COOH group

Title: Re: What does the ' in 2,'4,'6'-trihydroxybenzoic acid mean?
Post by: bigwoklun on October 18, 2007, 10:10:09 AM

Thank you! But what do the primes mean? Are they to do with side chains?

Title: Re: What does the ' in 2,'4,'6'-trihydroxybenzoic acid mean?
Post by: AWK on October 18, 2007, 10:57:25 AM

Primes never are used in such a way

Quote

2,'4,'6'

Sometimes may be used as 2',4',6' (if there are two identical parts of molecule to distinguish betwen , eg 2,3,4 subtituents in one part and 2,4,6 substituents in the second part, for this purposes primes are used at the second set od substituents) but not in this case.

Title: Re: What does the ' in 2,'4,'6'-trihydroxybenzoic acid mean?
Post by: Borek on October 18, 2007, 11:09:53 AM

bigwoklun - where have you seen it? Primes are sometimes side effect of improper font/encoding use.

Title: Re: What does the ' in 2,'4,'6'-trihydroxybenzoic acid mean?
Post by: bigwoklun on October 18, 2007, 11:33:03 AM

Thanks for the quick replies.